Andrew Bird - La Cigale

We went to Paris for the night to see Andrew Bird live in concert at La Cigale. We’ve been wanting to see Andrew Bird for some time now, so it was really amazing that we got to see him in Paris and that the venue was La Cigale. La Cigale is a beautiful old theatre in the Montmarte district.

During the day we went to the Hotel national des Invalides to visit the war museum and see Napoleon’s tomb.

 

We also went to the flagship Repetto store near the Paris Opera so I could get some new demi-pointe dance shoes. It turns out that I’m not the only one who seeks out the Repetto flagship store for a sentimental souvenir because Sarah Jessica Parker was there! It was my first time seeing a celebrity “up close.” I didn’t immediately recognize her; she was wearing enormous glasses and walking around with her blackberry taking photos. I thought to myself, wow that women really resembles Sarah Jessica Parker, and then she smiled at me. And then I thought maybe it is Sarah Jessica Parker... It was when she started speaking to the sales woman that I knew for sure. Of course she was speaking English, but also I just recognized her voice. It was strange to recognize the voice of someone I’ve never met before.

Afterwards we went out for a coffee and got some snacks for our apartment hotel before heading out to the concert. It was a terrific show and a wonderful overnight in Paris.

Amsterdam

 

We’d been talking about going to Amsterdam ever since we moved to France. For some reasons the train tickets are very expensive but we finally decided its now or never, and instead rented a car and headed out for a two night stay.  We left after work and parked the car in one of the park and ride stations outside the city centre. We spent the first night somewhat disoriented, walking around residential streets. Finally we figured out where we were, two steps away from the Red Light District. There we were able to find something to eat, the trusty ol’kebab of course. We stopped in a pub from some Heineken on tap and people watched as the fellow tourists wandered by the ladies in the red-lit windows.  Afterwards we wandered back to the Leidse Plein district near our hotel where we finished our first night at a jazz bar.

The next day we went to the Albert Cuyp market before going to tour the Heineken brewery. 

For lunch we ate some of the best Thai food we’ve eaten since arriving in France. It was so flavourful and SPICY!! It is very hard to find good spicy ethnic food in France.

We spent the rest of the day wandering around the city centre, taking pictures, and doing some shopping.

 

A trip to Holland wouldn't be complete without a Windmill!

The next morning after purchasing some Gouda and Tulips to take home, we headed out back to France....

Amsterdam - video